Foot operated platen lifting device for calculating machines



2 Sheets-sheaf, 1

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4 Q :L t- I w j: V LJL July 18, 1933.

L. MOUSSIER FOOT OPERATED PLATEN LIFTING DEVICE FOR CALCULATING MACHINESFiled Jan. 27, 1932 1NVENTOR= le'anZr-e fin ATTORNEY 'July 18, 1933.

FOOT OPERATED PLATEN LIFTING DEVICE FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Filed Jan.27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUY Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT Y OFFICE LEAN DRE IOUSSIER, OF PARIS, FRANCE FOOT OPERATEDPLATEN' LIFTING DEVICE FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Application filedJanuary 27, '1932, Serial No. 589,298, and in France February 25, 1981.

This invention relates to a foot operated platen lifting device forcalculating machines.

With the calculating machines of the Burroughs type or of a similartype, the lifting of the platen after each operation is generallyefiected by hand. Repeated thousands of times in the course of a dayswork this action involves both fatigue and loss oftime.

The object of this inventionis to provide a device adapted to enable theoperator'to effectuate the lifting and the lowering of the platen bymeans of a slight pressure with his foot on a pedal.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I haveillustrated, as'an example, an embodiment thereof in the drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a front view and Figure 2 an end view of a deviceconstruct- I ed in accordance with my invention.

Said device is essentially constituted by a pedal A provided with anantagonistic spring and adapted to actuate, through a rod B and a leverC, a cam D the section of which is so designed that the lifting of theplaten is obtained by a slight foot-pressure on the pedal A. When thefoot pressure on the pedal is released, the platen returns to its normalposition promptly but without any jerk or shock, due to support Ecarrying a rest with a buffer or shock absorbing spring.

As shown in the drawings, a support plate is mounted on the table of thecalculating machine. Plate 15 carries a cam support E and a shaftsupport or bracket 5. A stub shaft 4 is rotatably mounted on bracket orsupport 5 and has an arm C fixed to one end thereof and a curved arm 11of spring steelfixed to the other end thereof. The free end of arm C isconnected by a rod or linkB with a pedal A. The latter is pivotallysupported in hangers 6 secured to the frame of the table. A spring 8urges the free end of the pedal or treadle upwardly and a guide 9 limitsthe u ward and downward movement of the ,pe al A.

With this structure it will be realized that adepression on the pedal Awillcause shaft 4, as shown in Fig. 2, to move counter-clockwise, andthe structure carried by the free end of lever arm 11 will be raised.

In accordance-With the present invention, the knob on the shaft of the'platen of the machine is replaced by an elongated knob 7. 66 As shown inFig. 1, knob 7 is secured to the shaft 1 of the platen .and carries aroller 2 loosely mounted thereon intermediate the ends thereof. Roller 2is mounted in alignment with a cam D carried by the free end of thecurved arm 11. The foot-shaped cam D is provided with an upper camsurface which engages the roller 2. This cam surface 16 is shaped sothat as the cam D is raised part of the upward movement is translatedinto movement of the roller 2 radially away from the shaft 4. Onlowering the cam D, the nearly vertical portion of the camsurfaceapproaches the roller 2 and tends to absorb the shock of the descent ofthe roller. To fully absorb the shock of the fall of the laten carryingroller 2, a cam element 17 1s pivoted to the upper extremityof'thesupport-E. Cam 17 is provided with a recess carrying a springpressed plunger 13, the outer end of which engages an adjustment screw14. The cam surface of element E is engaged by a roller 3 positioned atthe heel of the foot-shaped cam D. Now, as the cam D descends, theroller 3 engaging the cam 9 surface of cam element E will cause thelatter to rotate about its supporting pivot against the action of thespring en aging plunger 13. Obviously, the shock will absorbed by thisspring. It is apparent that the effectiveness of the spring can bevaried by adjusting the position of screw 14.

The carriage can be operated in the transverse direction without the caminterfering with or hindering its motion.

The novelty of the device resides not in the pedal control but in theshape of the cam D and of the support E adapted to permit, on the onehand, the platen to be lifted by a slight pressure and, on the otherhand, said platen to be returned to its normal position without anyappreciable jerk or shock.

What is claimed: I 1. A .device for lifting and lowering the mo platenof a calculating machine of the Burroughs type, comprising a pivotedarm,

means on the end of the arm adapted to engage and lift the platen uponupward move- 1 ment of the free endof the arm, and means i for absorbingthe shock of lowering the platen comprising a spring actuated pivotedcam adapted to engage the means carried on the free end of the pivotedarm.

2. A device for lifting and lowering the platen of a calculating machineof the Burroughs type, comprising a pivoted arm, means on the end of thearm adapted to engage and lift the platen upon upward movement of thefree end of the arm, means for comprising a spring actuated pivoted. camadapted to engage the means carried on the free end of the pivoted arm,and foot-actuated ment of thepivoted arm, a pivoted cam elevment mountedadjacent the cam on the free end of the pivoted arm, a roller on the camcarried by the pivoted arm adapted to engage the cam'surface of the camelement, and resilient means urging thepivoted cam. element intoengagement with the roller and adapted to cooperate with the surfaceofthe pivoted cam element to absorb the shock of #5 descent of theplaten.

4. A device for lifting and lowering the platen of a calculating machineof the Burroughs type, comprising a pivoted arm, a cam on the freeend ofthe arm adapted to engage and lift'the platen upon upward movement I ofthe pivoted arm, a pivoted cam element mounted adjacent the cam on the,free end of the pivoted arm, aroller on the cam carried absorbing theshock of lowering the platen engage and lift the platen upon upwardmoveby the pivoted arm adapted to engage the cam surface of the camelement, resilient means urging the pivoted cam element into engagementwith the roller and adapted to cooperate with the surface of the pivotedcam element to absorb the shock of descent of the platen, andfoot-actuated means formoving the pivoted arm.

5. A device for lifting and lowering the platen of a calculating machineof the Burroughs type, comprising a pivoted arm, a cam on the free endof the arm adapted to engage 4 a roller on an extension fixed to theshaft of the platen shaft and lift the platen upon upward movement ofthe pivoted arm, a pivoted cam element mounted adjacent the cam on thefree end of the pivoted arm, a roller on the cam carried by the pivotedarm adapted to engage the cam surface of the cam element, and resilientmeans urging the pivoted cam element into engagement with the roller andadapted to cooperate with the surface'of v the pivoted cam element toabsorb the shock of descent of the platen.

6. A device for lifting and ldwering the platen of a calculating machineof the Burroughs type, comprising a pivoted arm, a cam on the free endof the arm adapted to engage and lift the platen upon upward movement ofthe pivoted arm, a pivoted cam element mounted adjacent the cam onthe'free end of the pivoted arm, a roller on the cam carried by thepivoted arm adapted to engage the cam surface of the cam element,resilient means urging the pivoted cam element into engage ment with theroller and adapted to cooper ate with the surface of the pivoted camelement to absorb the shock of descent of the platen, and means foradjusting the effect 0 the resilient means.

' LEANDRE MOUSSIER.

